Some moments are larger than words. If we lead a blessed life we may experience a handful of these moments in our entire lifetime. The birth of our children, the day we realize we married our best friend, the day God touches your life.
I had two such moments in the space of four days.
On Saturday, 25 people gathered in God’s greatest Cathedral to Bless a child. For just a few moments, all stood in the presence of the Creator and for once, the joining of hands really felt like the joining of spirits. While not “traditional” in most senses, I could not help but think of two things – “whenever two or more of you are gathered in my name.” and St. Francis’s Canticle of the Sun. Somewhere in that circle of joined hands, perhaps between Nick and Kate, God inserted himself and blessed not only the Sweet Z of his creation, but everyone in that “joining” And in his presence, all were validated, all were valued.
The second moment was much simpler, much more personal. Tuesday morning, Kate arrived with a sleeping Z in her carrier. The two Ks disappeared into the kitchen to arrange something, and I was left in the hall with sleeping Sunshine. Only it was easy to predict that when she woke up in a strange place without the comfort of mommy, Sunshine, might quickly turn to Rainstorm. I was plotting all sorts of reassuring noises, when one eye, then the other fluttered open. There was a moment of’” Where the heck am I???” and then she saw me --- and smiled. A truly happy to see you, I missed you smile. Within that moment was the truly sacred that is so often talked about and rarely recognized. There are simply no words for the healing, the valuing, the “you are worth something” contained in that simple act.
“OK kid – you get the pony, the car, the live in doll house, the Safari to Africa, the Harvard Education.”